The Building of the One Man Army
by whoskylie
Summary: The story of how Corporal Levi went from a criminal lurking in the corners of the capital to a ranking officer in the Recon Corps.
1. Chapter 1

_ Year 840: 5 Years Before the Fall of Wall Maria_

"The Military Police are here!" someone shouted from the front.

_Shit_, Levi thought to himself as he grabbed the revolver in his right hand drawer. He could already hear the muffled sounds of fighting and gunfire in the front room. He stood up just as the door to his personal room opened, revealing two uniform clad men of the Military Police. He fired two quick shots at each of them, hitting them both in the legs. He tried to fire a third round to further incapacitate them, but heard only the hopeless click of the gun. He dropped it on the ground and grabbed the pair of twin swords leaning against his bookcase. Levi left the two soldiers wailing on the ground in pain as he spun around and climbed out the window.

He was now in a narrow alleyway filled with garbage. Slowly, he crept forward and peered around the corner. It was clear. He quickly ran down the alley towards the street.

_Why the fuck are the Military Police after us?_ He asked himself. They were in the business of selling bootlegged alcohol, and the officers of the Military Police were their biggest customers. _If they shut us down, how do they expect to get their booze?_

When Levi was halfway towards the street, two soldiers blocked the exit of the alley.

"Hey!" one shouted out. "In the name of the Military Police, halt!"

Levi took a left turn into another alley. This side of the capital, the half that was filled with slums, brothels and the excrement of the filthy nobility, was primarily composed of winding streets and alleys. Levi knew the territory well, and though he hated to admit it, he was smaller and thus faster than the brawny soldiers. However, the soldiers were equipped with guns and Three-Dimensional Maneuver gear. This would not end well.

Behind him, he could hear the footsteps and the labored breathing of the two soldiers. Levi turned another left corner and immediately ducked into a doorway. As the two soldiers turned the same corner, he leaped out and attacked with the swords. He managed to inflict a deep wound on the right arm of the first, and while the second was still recovering from shock, he gave him a matching wound as well. Next he slashed the thighs of both of them. They were now disabled from both shooting their guns and chasing him further. Levi continued down the labyrinth of alleys until he reached what he'd been running towards: an old abandoned warehouse. He kicked open the door and let himself in.

Inside it was dark and he could smell long years of festering filth. Scuffling noises that told of rats moving away from the new intruder could be heard. Wrinkling his nose, Levi willed himself to move forward into the dirty building. He then moved towards the window and tried to look out through the grime-encrusted panes. He realized what a fatal mistake this was when a large flying projectile burst through the window, sending shards of glass exploding into the room. The projectile turned out to be a female soldier, one that landed onto Levi, sending them both skidding across the floor. Stunned and breathless, Levi tried to raise the sword to defend himself, but the soldier's knees were pinning down his shoulders.

"Caught you," she said triumphantly.

Levi saw a flash of metal and felt a sharp edge pressed dangerously close to his throat.

"Try anything else and I slit your throat." The soldier threatened.

This was the end.

_3 Hours Later_

Levi found himself shackled in a cell underneath the court room in the Military Police HQ. His body ached fiercely, for even after he'd been caught, he'd refused to give up. As a result, bruises covered most of his body and he was fairly certain that a rib was cracked. As he laid on the bed, the same question from before haunted him persistently. Why had the Military Police turned on him now? His mind could only draw a blank. Slowly, he lost consciousness.

_6 Hours Later_

After waiting patiently in the Military Police headquarters, Irvin Smith finally spotted Dot Pixis, Commander of the Military Police, walking swiftly towards him.

"Irvin, it's nice to see you again. How's the new position as Commander of the Recon Corps treating you?"

"It's been smooth sailing so far, although I haven't led a mission yet. That will be the true telling sign." Commander Pixis began to walk down a corridor. Irvin followed him.

"So we'll see. You know, you're lucky you're in the capital at the moment. Very fortunate timing."

"Oh? So does that mean you'll finally explain why you insisted that I come down to the Military Police Headquarters so early in the morning?"

"I have a proposition for you," Pixis informed him.

Irvin cocked an eyebrow. "A proposition? Regarding what?"

The pair began to walk down a flight of stairs.

"Not what, but who. The Military Police has recently arrested a very interesting prisoner, one who I think you'd be particularly keen to visit. If my assumptions are correct, then he could be of great assistance to the Recon Corps."

"Why was he arrested?"

"He was the leader and organizer of a large crime syndicate involved in the trading and selling of bootlegged alcohol. However, that's not the reason I think he'd be of interest to you. During his escape, he critically wounded six of my men-two with a gun, two with swords, and the last two with kicks that nearly shattered their jaws. Even after we captured him he still put up one hell of a fight. He's fast, a quick thinker, and most notably, he's adept with wielding dual swords."

"And you also were thinking that the Recon Corps is in horrible need of men."

"Yes, that too."

The stairs ended and both men were now in the basement of the Military Police Headquarters.

"Do you think he'll even accept an offer to join the Recon Corps?" Irvin asked as they began to walk past empty cells. "We're not exactly known for our popularity or low mortality rate."

"I think he will, once he knows his other option."

"Which is?"

"Life in prison."

After a few more seconds of walking, the two men stopped in front of Levi's cell where he still laying on the bed with his hands bound behind him with shackles. Irvin finally got his first look at the prisoner in question.

Irvin made a series of quick observations. First, he noticed just how small the prisoner was. When he imagined the leader of a crime syndicate, naturally he pictured someone large and muscular. This man, however, looked more like a boy with his slim physique and feet that didn't even reach the end of the bed. Second, Irvin noticed the bruises that colored his face. He remembered Pixis telling him of how he kept fighting even after defeat. Third, he noticed his expression, or rather lack of one. His countenance was impossible to read, but if pushed to describe it, Irvin would say it was one of scorn and boredom.

"What's your name?" Irvin asked.

"Don't you know that it's good manners to introduce yourself before asking for someone's name?" The man spat back out at him as he remained on the bed.

Irvin hesitated, but complied. "My name is Irvin Smith, Commander of the Reconnaissance Corps."

"Oh, the Recon Corps, huh? I thought I was in the custody of the Military Police."

"That is what I'm here to discuss. Now, your name?"

"Levi,"

"Do you have a last name?"

"Does it matter?"

Irvin ignored this remark. "Levi, from what I've gathered, I believe that you could make a great asset to the hope of humanity-"

"Are you trying to recruit me?" Levi interrupted with a laugh that was quickly broken off with a quiet hiss of pain. Yes, the rib was definitely cracked. "Please, spare me."

"So you'd rather go to prison?"

"I'd rather not become a Titan's next meal."

"Proper and persistent training can help to prevent that. Furthermore, from what I've heard, you already have sharp reflexes and a quick wit."

Levi paused to think.

"How long in prison?"

"Life."

Silence settled down once again as Levi weighed the options.

"You are alone," Irvin told him. "And at this rate, you will go to prison alone and die alone like an animal."

"Or I can die in the mouth of a Titan?"

"Or you can die defending humanity. You can either die in a cage within a cage, or you can experience freedom outside these walls."

Levi paused to consider this reply. Freedom was a concept that he had heard much about, but had never met directly, much like a long deceased ancestor. For as long as he could recall he had always been bound- either by his parents will, his status as an orphan, or his life of crime.

And if he passed up this opportunity, then his entire life could be defined by this lack of freedom.

He finally realized that it was an obvious decision.

"I suppose I'll accept." Levi answered after a moment's more silence.

"Excellent, I'm sure you'll make a skilled addition to my division. However, the decision won't be made official until after your trial tomorrow. If you truly want to join the Recon Corps, then I will require your full cooperation with all questions tomorrow. You will need to answer fully and truthfully."

"Fine."

"I will see you tomorrow at the trial," Irvin told him as he began to walk away with Pixis at his side.

"Wait," Levi called out. "Before you go, I want to know why I was arrested."

"You were involved with the selling and distribution of illegal alcohol," Pixis replied.

"Obviously," he sneered, "but that never stopped the swine you call soldiers from guzzling it down anyway. I want to know what changed."

Pixis paused before answering. "We received a tip from inside the syndicate. It wasn't something we could ignore."

"I see."

_So I was betrayed,_ Levi thought to himself. _One of my men wanted to get rid of me, and they knew the Military Police couldn't ignore a direct leak without losing face with the public._ As the footsteps dissipated, Levi mulled this fact over. He supposed that the news should have come with a feeling of of hurt, or at least disappointment, but he felt nothing but disgust. To be hurt you must first have someone capable of hurting you, but for Levi, the faces and names of his men just slid past one another dully. He half-heartedly attempted to guess at who betrayed him, but in the end it didn't matter. It didn't matter who it was, for they were all the same to him.

_24 Hours Later_

The next morning Levi was more stiff and sore than ever. Sitting up in the bed resulted in sharp pain in his chest and reminded him of the injury to his rib.

Guards led Levi from his cell to the court room. Upon entering, Levi was not surprised to see that the courtroom was only half full. This was only a routine criminal trial, after all. The guards led him to the middle of the room, where he would be forced to kneel for the duration of the trial. With the sound of the bar being slid into the floor, he knew that he was locked in place. Immediately his knees began to ache and he hoped that this would go quickly. He looked around the room to see who would be questioning him today.

To his left he found the jury of his so-called "peers". Theoretically, the jury was meant to be made up of a cross-section of citizens from the capital, representing all different sorts of ages, genders, races, and socio-economic statuses from across the spectrum. In reality, however, considering that few people could afford to take time off to go to court, this was just a club of twelve wealthy white males with little better to do than send men away to imprisonment and/or death. But even from his vague knowledge of law, Levi knew that the jury was just a prop. The judge was the one with the real power to overturn the verdict if he saw fit.

To his right were the stands where the onlookers of the courtroom stood. In the first row stood an unrecognizable man with distasteful features and skin that was thoroughly creased with sharp lines. This man was more than likely the voice for the Military Police. Next to him stood Irvin Smith, looking composed and professional. Irvin gave the prisoner a quick glance, but Levi found no sort of emotion or message behind his stoney blue eyes.

Levi turned to face the front as a door slammed open and the judge entered. He was short, possibly just barely taller than Levi, and had a moderately long thinning gray beard that just barely failed to conceal his square features.

"All stand at attention for proceeding judge Cyril Barius," the bailiff called out. All conversation stopped as everyone turned to face the front of the courtroom. Irvin Smith, the nameless man next to him, and a dozen others went so far as to give the military salute. Levi resisted the urge to spit on the ground.

"All rest," the judge commanded. "On July 22nd the court of the year 840 has gathered here today to bring charges of theft, incitement, conspiracy to commit crime, and extortion, against Levi..." the judge paused. "Do you have a surname?"

"Obviously not," Levi replied disdainfully.

The judge continued. "In addition, the defendant is also charged with four counts of assault against soldiers of the Military Police. We will begin by hearing the argument of the Military Police as represented by Corporal Hilary Douglas."

"Thank you, your honor," The unfamiliar man addressed the judge before focusing his attention on Levi. "I will make my argument by asking the defendant a series of questions. First, the court would like to hear explanations of how you operated business,"

"Could you be more specific?" Levi asked, barely masking his disdain.

"How did you acquire the illegal alcohol that you were involved with selling?"

Levi briefly hesitated before catching Irvin's eye. He then decided that he truly had nothing to hide, considering that there was no way in hell he'd try to protect the very same men that had betrayed him. Although he resented it, he decided to take Irvin's advice and answer cooperatively.

"It depends," Levi stated dryly. "There were a number of ways we could acquire it. The easiest way, by far, was to purchase it from another group that had already fermented and distilled the drink. However, sometimes when demand was high, we would be forced to go to further measures. On occasions like these, we would approach farmers outside Wall Sina. As you know, all farmers are required by law to send a certain percentage of their harvests to market in order to properly feed the populace. We found that many farmers, however, could be persuaded to trick the state inspectors and withhold extra grain to be fermented into spirits if provided with appropriate compensation. We would purchase the stores of grain and then ferment it ourselves before selling it to our customers."

"And what types of people made up your clientele?"

Levi smirked darkly. "All types. Bars purchased our product because it was cheaper and easier to find than the limited state-produced liquor, brothels purchased it to encourage business, and in some cases even clinics purchased the high-concentration goods when pain killers were scarce. But the most significant demographic that made up the foundation of our client base were the soldiers and officers of the Military Police, _corporal_," Levi sneered.

Corporal Douglas narrowed his eyes and viewed Levi with a clear sign of distaste. "Let's move on to the events of the night of July 20th. What were you doing when the Military Police arrived for your arrest?"

"I was in my private room counting the profits from that evening."

"And how were you alerted that the Military Police had arrived?"

"One of my men shouted it from the front room. Obviously he wasn't the snitch you had sitting in your lap."

"How did you react to the warning?"

"I retrieved the revolver I kept in my desk drawer. Two soldiers entered my room, so I shot at them both. My shots in their targets and both men were wounded in the leg."

"Where did you go next?"

"The revolver was out of rounds, so I grabbed a pair of swords before climbing out the window to the back alley. I began to run, but two more soldiers spotted me and began pursuing me. I managed to outwit them and wound them before continuing. I kept running until I reached an abandoned warehouse further down a series of alleys."

"How did you know about this warehouse?"

"It's where we fermented the grain we purchased from farmers."

Corporal Douglas smirked before asking his last question, "And what happened after you entered the warehouse?"

_Damn him_, Levi thought. _He's only trying to show off his "competent" squad to the court to counter the point I made earlier about the Military Police soldiers being drunks._

"I went to the window to see if anyone was still pursuing me. Just as I reached the window, a soldier crashed through it by use of her Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear. I tried to fight her off, but she had me pinned and was pressing a blade to my throat. Her squad members arrived through the window after her, and I was subsequently handcuffed and taken to the Military Police HQ."

"Ah, yes, the female soldier you are referring to is Squad Leader Maria Weiss. Your honor, if I may, I'd like question Squad Leader Weiss regarding the defendant's further actions."

"Are there any objections?"

"None, your honor," Irvin replied.

Levi gave him a strange look. What about the relevancy of calling this witness? He'd already testified to everything he was being charged for.

Maria Weiss stood up in the front row of the stands to his left. She had black hair pulled tightly back in a bun and reminded Levi of a crow. A slow, dirty, inept crow.

"Squad Leader, please describe the defendant's actions and behavior following his arrest."

"Even after handcuffing his hands behind his back, the defendant continued to struggle and resist arrest. I must admit that due to his small stature and physique, my squad and I initially underestimated his strength."

Levi glowered at her fiercely.

"This was a mistake. Even with his hands bound, the defendant began aiming kicks at my men and I. Some of his kicks landed, resulting in two of my men receiving broken jaws. But, after using increased force, we eventually were able to subdue the defendant, bind his feet together, and carry him off to HQ."

"After binding his legs together did the defendant become docile?

"No, sir. He continued to yell obscenities and threats at me and my men and he even attempted to bite us."

"That is all, Squad Leader."

Maria Weiss sat down. Corporal Douglas turned to the judge.

"Your honor, after hearing this testimony, it is clear that the defendant is a violent, harmful, and possibly deranged threat to society. He has engaged in crimes that not only robbed the marketplace of food while innocent civilians were starving, but also contributed to the corruption of society as a whole. Such behavior warrants a lifetime sentence in prison."

"You certainly didn't leave any gaps in your argument, corporal," Judge Barius replied. "It is to be considered. Next, the court will hear from the Reconnaissance Corps as represented by Commander Irvin Smith."

"Yes, your honor." He turned towards Levi. "Unlike the corporal, I only have a few questions. First, I'd like you to list some of officers of the Military Police that regularly purchased liquor from you."

The courtroom became silently electrified with tensity.

Levi smirked, "There were several. Off the top of my head, some of the regular customers were Lieutenant MacDouglas, Corporal Arthur, Corporal Ring, Squad Leader Fritz, and countless others that I'd be able to list if I had access to our ledgers. Furthermore, many of the general soldiers also were frequent buyers. One of Squad Leader Weiss's men who assisted in arresting me falls in that group, and I made sure to remind him of it as he took me back to HQ."

The various members of the Military Police scattered among the room looked furious. Levi wondered if Irvin had walked into certain death by asking that question.

The Commander ignored the reaction to his question and continued. "Second, You are clearly more than capable of causing devastating damage considering that you managed to wound 6 soldiers. However, none of them received any fatal injuries. Was this a conscious decision?"

Levi was surprised that the man had been able to catch onto such a seemingly insignificant detail. "Yes."

"Explain this decision."

He thought for a moment before answering. "I knew that I was trapped and had little chance of escape. I was up against trained soldiers with guns and Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear. I suppose I wanted to make sure that I couldn't be held responsible for murder if I was arrested. I'm not an idiot, after all, and I'm _certainly_ not deranged." He shot a glare towards Squad Leader Weiss and Corporal Douglas.

"One further question. Do you regret your criminal behavior?"

Once again, Levi was thrown for a curve. Where did these questions come from?

"I am neither content with nor regretful of my crimes. They were merely a means to survive," he explained slowly.

Irvin Smith turned back to the judge. "You honor, the only logical option here is to recruit the defendant to the Recon Corps."

The courtroom was silent.

"How do you figure that?" The judge asked, clearly intrigued.

"First, let it be acknowledged that the defendant is highly skilled in the ways of hand to hand combat and sword fighting. He managed to take down two trained soldiers by targeting specific areas of their bodies with a specific goal in his mind: to maim, not to kill. While the defendant's skills could be made lethal with proper training, he is not a naturally violent character. Nor do I believe that he is unsound in mind, contrary to what Corporal Douglas claims.

"Second, I would like to remind Corporal Douglas that the defendant is in possession of potentially scandalous and damaging information with regards to the reputation of the Military Police.

"Third, the taxpayers will be paying for his food and board no matter which outcome the court decides. In my opinion, the defendant should at least be working for his keep.

"When combining all of this information with the fact that the Recon Corps is in dire need of men due to the high fatality rate, I believe it is clear that the defendant belongs in the Recon Corps. I will supervise his training to ensure that he properly atones for his previous crimes by contributing to the fight for humanity."

Judge Barius continued to peer down at Commander Irvin as silence fell upon the court. After a moment or two, he then turned to the jury. "I believe you have all the information you need. Go and return once you have made your decision."

Both the jury and the judge left the courtroom, and as soon as they were gone, the room exploded in a wave of low mutters. Members of the Military Police shot both Commander Irvin and Levi dirty looks.

From his position in the back of the court, Commander Pixis muttered to himself, "Very smart, Irvin, very smart indeed."

The jury came back in a matter of minutes.

The judge followed.

"What is your verdict," Judge Barius called upon the jury.

"We the jury have found that the defendant, Levi, shall be recruited into the Recon Corps under the supervision of Commander Irvin Smith. He shall remain in the Recon Corps until the Titans have been exterminated, or death, whichever comes first. If the defendant violates this sentence, then he shall be put to death."

From his position on the floor, Levi looked up at his new Commander.

_Congratulations_, he thought to himself. _You've landed me a death sentence._

A/N: Thank you for reading! I plan on continuing this story to follow Levi through his training, first missions, and promotion to the rank of corporal. Oh, and meeting Hanji and the rest of the Recon Corps. What happens after that I haven't quite considered yet. If you decide to leave a review, please tell me how I did with keeping everyone in character. I haven't written fanfiction in 3 and a half years, and keeping in character is definitely the biggest challenge compared to writing normal fiction. Once again, thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Immediately after the trial had ended, the handcuffs had been released, and some feeling had been rubbed back into his numb knees, Levi was introduced to the first of his new comrades.

"My name is Hanji Zoe," she smiled at him as she shoved her hand into his for a very brief but awkward handshake. Levi didn't do handshakes.

"Right," he muttered.

"She's our main researcher for the Recon Corps, which is the real reason why we were in the capital- to acquire additional research funding." Irvin filled in. "Or rather, any research funding at all."

"You were just a distraction."

An hour after the conclusion of the trial, Levi found himself sitting in the the front of a horse drawn cart. In the back of the cart were various supplies, such as new uniforms, blades, nonperishable food items, and gasoline, that were being brought back to the Recon Corps HQ. Irvin was sitting on the left, controlling the reigns of the horses and sandwiched in the middle of the two men was a very talkative Hanji. They were currently on their way to Levi's small apartment on the west side of town so that he could collect some of his belongings before abandoning the city he'd always known. Levi couldn't help but notice the interest in the two soldiers' eyes as they took in the sights of the slums around them. He felt a wave of irritation wash over him.

Levi went up to his apartment alone. It was a very small one room apartment with simple furniture and barely enough space to lay spread eagled on the floor, but Levi had never cared. It was only a place he slept and bathed. However, for what it lacked in size, it made up for in cleanliness. Once inside, he went to his wardrobe and began choosing folded white shirts and cravats. Lacking a proper suitcase, Levi unsheathed a pillow from its case and used it as a make-shift sack. He meticulously unfolded and refolded each shirt to ensure that they would all neatly fit.

After packing his clothes, Levi took a long look around his scantily furnished room in search of anything of value he might want to take along. He chose only three belongings: an antique silver comb, a heavy, archaic dictionary, and a small, faded photograph. He slipped the photograph into the front cover of the dictionary, secured the comb in its leather case, and carefully placed all three items in the sack. With only one last look at the "home" he'd inhabited for the past six years, he left.

After the detour, the trio began to navigate their way out of the busy capital and towards the southern Aulto district located just north of the bustling Shiganshina District. While Irvin focused on finding a path out of the busy traffic, Hanji attempted to find out more about the new recruit.

"So how old are you?" She asked eagerly.

"Nineteen," he replied dryly.

"Really? You don't look like you're a year older than I am."

"Believe it."

"How'd a kid like you end up as the head of a crime syndicate?"

Levi grimaced both at the nickname and the personal nature of the question. "It's a long story."

"We have time! We won't be getting back to HQ until past sunset, probably."

"Why's your headquarters located so far from the capital?" Levi asked, grasping the opportunity to change the subject.

"Well, for us, it's a lot more convenient to have access to the outer wall than the capital. Especially when we're returning from a mission and we have a lot of wounded. We only commute up here for politics and supplies."

"I see."

"So do you have any family?"

"Hanji," Irvin warned. "It might be best to give him some space."

"Alright," she sighed.

"However," Irvin replied, "I would like to thank you for your cooperation during the trial."

"Your argument was very effective," Levi told him stiffly. He was not accustomed to giving compliments.

"Yes, I knew that if I presented you as a threat then they would distance you from the capital to save themselves."

"That's why you're our cunning and fearless leader," Hanji cut in. "You've got the best mind for strategy by far."

"I understand why the Military Police would want to get ride of me," Levi remarked, "but the jury belonged to the manufacturing aristocracy."

"Their intentions were just as selfish." Irvin explained. "The Manufacturing Sector and the Military Police support each other like rotten structural beams in an abandoned house. The Manufacturing Sector needs the Military Police to cover up the appalling working conditions in their factories, and the Military Police thrives under the bribes and wealth that the Manufacturing Sector throws at them. They would have suffered as badly as the Military Police if your testimony had leaked and revealed the true nature of humanity's great peacekeeping body." His voice oozed sarcasm.

"Furthermore, now that you've revealed all your secrets, I wouldn't be surprised if most of those jurors left that trial with half a mind to begin bootlegging alcohol themselves. Yes, they had all the reason in the world to ship you off to what they probably thought was a death sentence."

Levi said nothing.

Irvin shot him a glance. "It wasn't a true death sentence, you know."

"You can't expect me to believe that."

"You know, it's only a death sentence if you believe it's one," Hanji mused. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with accepting the possibility of death, it's probably the most healthy thing to do, but letting it hang over your head is an impossible way to live."

"Don't start spouting that phony inspirational bullshit," Levi responded. "I might have to jump off this cart and take the jurors up on their offer of a true death sentence."

Hanji laughed lightly. "So you can make a joke."

Irvin wrinkled his brow, trying to figure out if that was truly a joke or a threat.

"Hanji, you should grab the medical kit from the back. I think some of his wounds need treating."

"I'm fine."

"You're a soldier now," Irvin explained while Hanji turned and began digging around in the supplies. "You have to take responsibility for your well-being, especially cannot begin until you are deemed healthy."

"Found it," Hanji declared triumphantly before turning back around and facing Levi. "Some of this might sting or tingle a bit," she told him as she began grabbing different salves and antiseptics for treating his bruises and cuts. "But don't worry, I'm about eighty percent sure that just means it's working."

He grudgingly held still while she treated him. "I'm not worried so much about the surface wounds as much as I am about my ribs."

"Show me," Hanji requested. She let out a hiss when she saw the large black and blue contusion on the left side of his ribcage. "Yeah, that will take some time to heal." She began applying the salve to the injury, her fingers just lightly skimming over his skin as softly as possible. "But my medicines should help speed the recovery."

"How long?" Irvin asked.

"Does it hurt to breathe?" Hanji asked Levi.

"No."

"Then I'd say about a week."

Hanji continued to treat Levi's various cuts and bruises until she was satisfied with her work. "That should do for now. I'll re-apply everything in a couple of hours."

"What exactly will my training entail?" Levi asked the commander.

"Ordinarily a soldier must go through three years of training as a cadet, but because of the special restrictions set upon us by the court, your training must be under my command."

"For three years?"

"No. I believe that with your level of fitness and combat skills your training will only be a matter of months. However, it's difficult to approximate the time it will take until we find out how well you react to the 3DMG."

"If you're lucky, then you might get to go with us on our next mission in three months," Hanji remarked.

"That's very doubtful," Irvin responded.

"But we'll see."

"What exactly do your missions entail?"

"We work on increasing our knowledge of the titans and thus deducing the best methods to engage them. In between missions our time is spent turning that knowledge into strategy through training and conducting research."

"Research?"

"Oh, do I detect a note of intrigue in your voice?" Hanji marveled. "Are you quaking with the thirst of knowledge? Do you shake with anticipation of what I can teach you?"

"What the hell are you-?"

"Now you've gotten her started." Irvin sighed deeply.

"Say no more!" Hanji interrupted. "I will fill you in on all of the volumes of observations, hypotheses, and theories I have pieced together over the past year. I will start with lesson one: basic titan anatomy."

And so, with many hand gestures and colorful descriptions, Hanji began to explain to Levi all the information he would need to know about humanity's worst enemy: their basic structure, their weak point, the possibility of intelligence, their social habits, and worst of all, their feeding rituals. After she was finished explaining the textbook knowledge of the titans, she then began to explain her own research.

"So far, I've only been able to collect samples while out in the field, so my research into the structure of titans has been limited. But one day I hope to capture one and bring it back alive," she told him with a dreamy glint in her eye.

"Bring a live titan inside the walls?" Levi asked, incredulous. "How do you expect to control it?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll figure something out."

Hanji continued to lecture about her research until the party made it back to the Recon Corps HQ, at which point Irvin insisted that she work her arms rather than her mouth while they unloaded the cart.

As he disembarked from the cart, Levi looked up and got his first look at the Recon Corps HQ. With its boxy architecture and flat roof, Levi reasoned that it had most likely been a manufacturing center in a previous life.

After they grabbed their load of crates, Hanji led Levi through the front doors while Irvin continued to unload and organize the remaining supplies.

"The storeroom is in the basement," she informed him chattily. "It's right next to my laboratory."

"You have a laboratory?"

"Well, technically it's the boiler room, but Irvin let me set up in there to conduct my research. So now I call it my laboratory."

As Hanji led Levi down a hallway, she spotted another group of soldiers. There were two men, one tall with sandy brown hair and the second shorter with curly black hair. They were walking with a petite, almost child-like, girl with long blonde hair braided down her back and tucked into her belt.

"Hey, Markus, David, Amelia! Me and Irvin just got back with supplies. Go outside and grab a few crates."

"Why should we?" The taller man retorted.

"Now that you mention it, I _am_ looking for a new test subject for my latest laxative pills," Hanji thought to herself. "I could always spike your drink tomorrow morning at breakfast."

"No, it's okay, we don't mind." The second man offered. The girl, who must have been Amelia, nodded.

"Thanks, David." Hanji and Levi kept walking while the trio turned to the front entrance. "Don't listen to Markus. He's full of hot air."

With six bodies working to unload the cart, it only took a couple of trips for all of the crates to be stacked in a medium-sized room in the basement. After the task was completed, Irvin left to catch up on the news he'd missed while he'd been gone and Markus, David, and Amelia scampered off before they could be roped into doing any other chores.

"Well, now that's over, I can show you your room." Hanji wiped her brow as she leaned against a box. "But while we're down here, we might as well find you a uniform. They should be in here somewhere," she murmured as she began digging through the boxes. Eventually she came across the one filled with uniforms. She shot a glance back at Levi, looking him up and down.

"Hmmm. Men's extra small or women's medium?" she muttered to herself.

Levi responded with a glare that would've turned anyone else to stone.

"We'll try both."

After the fitting, Levi was presented with a Recon Corps jacket, a green traveling coat, five sets of white pants, one pair of boots, and twelve pairs of socks. Hanji then showed him his room, located on the main level of the building in the west wing. The room was small, but no smaller than his apartment in the capital. It contained four twin beds, two against the west wall and two against the east wall, each with a small oaken side table and a candle by the headboard. The wall directly across from the door contained a reasonably sized window framed with gray curtains and a desk. The floor was covered with an old, rapidly fading rug.

Seeing that three of the beds seemed to have been freshly slept in and thus clearly taken, Levi put his sack of belongings and his new uniform pieces on the bed on the eastern wall closest to the door.

"It's time for me to treat your injuries again," Hanji informed him after looking at a pocket watch. While Levi unbuttoned his shirt and Hanji dug around in a bag for the salves, the door to the room opened and Levi's three roommates walked in. He recognized two of them as the same men that had helped unload the supplies earlier, but the third was a new face.

"All I'm saying is that Andrea has a rockin' bod, and if she would bother to take her nose out of a book once in a while, then she'd have every guy on their knees," the taller one remarked. His name was Markus, Levi recalled.

Hanji found the salve, instructed Levi to lie back on the bed, and began rubbing the goo over his injured rib.

"I don't think she needs to take her nose out of her books," David replied, a faint blush rising on his cheeks.

Markus chose not to respond to his friend, instead focusing on the new recruit.

"Whoa, who did you piss off?" Markus checked out Levi's injuries with obvious curiosity.

"The Military Police," Hanji answered for him. "Apparently they don't appreciate it when you resist arrest."

"Hanji, who is this?" the third man asked her.

"This is the latest recruit, Levi. Irvin and I picked him up on our latest trip to the capital." She turned to Levi. "Levi, this is Squad Leader Cade Matson."

"Just a single new scout?" Matson furrowed his brow. "Why isn't he with a graduating class?"

"I'm glad you asked!" Finished with treating Levi, Hanji put the cap on the jar of salve and focused on telling the three men the serendipitous story of how Levi ended up here, in their room, with his hand covering his face, wishing he could just go to sleep. Despite his fatigue, he listened to her vivid description of the trial with something near amusement. She pumped up all of the action and made the Military Police out to be the villains. Corporal Douglas and Squad Leader Weiss both were given deep booming voices and, for reasons unknown to him, the judge was given a high, squeaky voice. After she'd finished the story, the other soldiers looked at him with just a hint of fascination and awe.

"So how'd you get that?" Matson inquired, gesturing to the bruise on his ribcage.

"They kicked me after binding my legs."

"I'm sure it'll heal soon enough."

"Oh, definitely," Hanji assured the room. "Especially with my medicines. It took a bit of trial and error to figure out the formula, but it's been worth it considering how banged up everyone gets after a mission."

"Yeah, we've got a lot to thank you for," David told her.

"Well, it's nearly time for lights out," Matson said. "Hanji, I think it's time for you to go back to your own room."

"Alright, boys. Good night, sleep tight, and don't let the Titans bite!" She was nearly out the door before turning around for an afterthought. "But if they do, make sure to get a sample for me."

"She's absolutely loony, she is," Markus remarked after the door clicked closed.

"She's just..." David paused to find the right words. "Enthusiastic about life."

Levi thought back to her crazy dream of capturing a live Titan and her apparent invincibility to even his most intimidating remarks and glares.

"She's batshit crazy," Levi concluded.

Markus pointed at the new recruit.

"Mafia man knows what's up."

* * *

A/N: Okay, so can we talk for a bit about how fucked up the names in SnK are? Because:

1. Levi has no last name. NONE. Like, what the fuck Isayama? I thought this was an important character? How is a lowly fanfiction author like me supposed to explain this away? (don't worry- I have a plan)

2. Everyone calls Irvin Smith "Commander Irvin" rather than "Commander Smith". It's like if WWII soldiers called their leaders General Dwight and General Douglas. In fact, pretty much every officer in SnK is addressed like this, with the exception being Commander Pixis. I just can't get over this.

3. I have no fucking idea whether Hanji's first name is Hanji or Zoe. For a while I thought that her first name was Zoe, because that's a normal first name and the Japanese say their family name before their given name. But then I listened to the anime more closely and I discovered that _all_ the characters say their names like Westerners: first name, then last name. So, when Hanji introduces herself as Hanji Zoe, does that mean her fist name really is Hanji? No clue, man, no clue.

-Rant over-

Thank you for reading! I'm going to be on a river trip for a week, but I'll try to get the next update up ASAP. I'm really hoping to get this fic finished before the end of summer. Reviews/follows/favorites give me warm tinglies in my tummy 3


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Since it's been so long since I've updated, here's a quick synopsis of our story so far:

Levi was a young leader of a bootlegging operation in the capital. As his business was being broken up by the Military Police, Levi managed to inflict major damage on MP soldiers. So much damage in fact, that the head of the MP (Pixis, in this universe) decided to call Irvin in and see if he wanted to recruit the young criminal into the Recon Corps. At the trial, Irvin spun the story to cast Levi as a major threat to the interests of both the MP and the higher echelons of the capital. As a result, Levi was sentenced to join the Recon Corps until death or the Titans were killed, whichever came first.

After the trial, Levi gathered three personal belongings from his small apartment before heading off to his new life with Irvin and Hanji. Following his arrival at Recon Corps HQ, Levi met some of his new comrades: Amelia, a short, quiet girl with long hair worn in a braid and tucked in her belt, Markus, a boisterous young man who talked too much for his own good, and David, Markus's best friend. Additionally, he also met Squad Leader Matson, who is Amelia, Markus, and David's commanding officer. Levi shares a room with Markus, David, and Matson, and after spotting his injured rib, they learn from Hanji all about how Levi joined the Recon Corps.

ALRIGHT! Hopefully you don't mind that huge info-dump (I was just trying to spare you from re-reading previous chapters). So now let's begin.

* * *

Thanks in most part to Hanji, by morning everyone was abuzz about the new recruit.

"Is that him?"

"Yeah, the puny one."

"Is he even old enough to be here? He looks like he's twelve."

"I heard he killed a man with his bare hands."

"I heard his wrists are so small, he managed to slip out of his shackles and strangle the MP rep at the trial."

"I heard he only got arrested because he was screwing the MP Commander's daughter."

"You idiot, Pixis doesn't have a daughter!"

For the first few days, Levi could feel dozens of pairs of eyes tracing his every movement as he made his away around headquarters. At meals the hairs on the back of his neck were perpetually on-end under the gaze of strangers.

"They're just curious," Hanji assured him when she noticed all the attention he'd been receiving.

* * *

The first day after arriving at headquarters, Levi met the other soldiers in Matson's squad. In addition to Markus, David, and Amelia, there were two other women.

"Hi, my name's Lydia Glenn," a red-haired young woman introduced herself to Levi the next morning at breakfast. She had bright eyes and was quite short, even a few inches shorter than Levi.

"And this is Andrea Carlson," she pointed at her companion, a tall woman with black hair pulled back in a bun. She blushed lightly and lifted a few fingers in a shy wave. He remembered her name from the conversation Markus and David were having last night. So this was the bookworm.

"Levi," he replied.

"So, are the rumors true?" Lydia leaned forward over the table, cupping her chin.

"Lydia," her companion chided, elbowing her in the side.

"What? He has a right to comment on all the shit people are saying about him."

He raised an eyebrow. "What sort of shit?"

"Well, they're saying that you're a thug. And you killed a man, and you apparently screwed Pixis's daughter. But all of that seems pretty believable," she flipped a hand nonchalantly. "But they're also saying that you're only twelve, when I think you look more like you're ten."

Lydia swiftly moved her hand just a moment before Levi impaled his fork on the table right where her wrist had been.

"Oh, we've got a live one!"

"Fuck off."

"I'm sorry," Andrea apologized for her companion.

Levi glared at the two of them.

"None of that is true. And I'm _nineteen_, for your information."

"Sure. And I'm the King's daughter; I'm just here for kicks."

Andrea was the one who broke up the ensuing fight.

"Why can't you go ten minutes without provoking someone?" A very exasperated Andrea asked her companion.

Lydia broke into a large grin. "Keeps my blood running."

* * *

Since he couldn't train until his rib had healed, Levi occupied himself with other tasks. The first thing he did was clean his new room from top to bottom. He supposed that by anyone else's standards it wouldn't be called dirty, per se, but there was enough dust loitering on windowsills to make his skin crawl. After looking around in the halls, he found a cleaning closet and borrowed some supplies. Hanji found him when he took the rug outside to beat the dirt out of it.

"What're you doing?" She eyed the rug and the stick in his hand. "Does it owe you money, or something?"

"No, it's filthy."

"Well I've got a better idea. Instead of taking your suppressed rage out on innocent rugs, you should come assist me in my lab!"

After he replaced the rug and finished expunging all dirt, grime, and filth from his room, Levi took Hanji up on her offer. However, as soon as he entered her dimly lit excuse for a lab, he immediately regretted his decision.

Tiptoeing around piles of junk and dirty dishes, Levi found the researcher sitting at her desk, scribbling fervently. He tried tapping on her shoulder to get her attention. Receiving no response, he tried flicking her on the head and pulling on her messy ponytail.

"Shh," she absentmindedly batted away his hand while continuing to scribble in a lab book.

Affronted, and with nothing else to do, he decided to clean her lab as well.

However, this turned out to be a much larger task than merely cleaning his room. His roommates at least tried to maintain some semblance of order, they were military men, after all, but Hanji exhibited no similar behaviors.

"No wonder she asked me what I was doing with the rug," Levi huffed as he moved piles of junk onto couches and tables. "I wouldn't be surprised if she'd never cleaned a day in her life."

It took two trips for Levi to cart all the dirty dishes upstairs to the kitchen. He realized that she must take a lot of meals in her lab, and wondered if it was normal for her to block out other people while she was working.

When he was halfway through scrubbing the floor, Hanji finally looked up.

"What are you doing to my floor?"

"It's a foreign practice called _cleaning_," he scrubbed furiously. "I could teach you, if you'd like."

"Don't bother with that," Hanji turned back to her work. "This place is always dirty. It really doesn't bother me."

"Obviously."

* * *

After a week of cleaning various rooms and adapting to the new environment, his rib had finally healed enough for training. Now he was able to participate in the morning drills, such as running, calisthenics, and weight training. These were meant to increase endurance, while training in the evenings focused on strategy, teamwork, and skill building. It was during these evening sessions that Levi trained with Irvin.

During the first of these sessions, Irvin focused on hand to hand combat.

_He's got no problem keeping up with me,_ Irvin thought to himself as he aimed another punch at the smaller man. Levi dodged it effortlessly and followed it with a swift kick. Irvin blocked the kick, but Levi continued to spin, landed in a crouch, then switched directions and with the same leg managed to side-swipe Irvin off his feet. Irvin landed on his back in the dirt with Levi's boot on his chest.

"Can we move on now?" Levi asked tonelessly.

* * *

The next evening, the duo moved on to swordsmanship.

"Interesting," Irvin commented as he observed Levi's grip and stance.

"What?"

"You're actually holding the blades correctly," Irvin explained. "You've had prior training, haven't you?"

Levi stayed silent.

"I'll take that as a yes," Irvin murmured.

Just as with close combat, Levi proved quite capable and adroit with swords. He excelled at every drill Irvin put him through, even ones that the most experienced officers of the Corps would have difficulties with. At least by the end of it Levi's breaths were coming to him in gasps and he looked at least a hint more tired than the night before.

"That was impressive," Irvin told him. He'd managed to hit nineteen of the twenty targets.

"I know."

* * *

On the third evening, Irvin decided to proceed a little unorthodoxly. Normally, the first week is spent solely focusing on basic training. However, Irvin was growing curious of the new recruit. He wanted to find out just how skilled he truly was.

So on the third evening, Levi was given 3DMG gear and hooked up to one of the training harnesses used for suspending cadets.

"What's the point of this?" Levi asked as he balanced perfectly while suspended in mid air. He crossed his arms and looked at Irvin expectantly.

Irvin couldn't help but smile. "How are you doing? Any difficulties balancing?"

"No. Let me down fro-"

Levi was interrupted as a pair of hands grabbed him from behind.

"How about now?" Hanji giggled.

Levi swatted the hands away with a few slaps and looked over his shoulder to find Hanji with her arms crossed.

She sighed. "How can you stay up there even while being tickled?"

"I'm not ticklish."

"Well Irvin, I think you've got your answer. He really must be one."

"Be what?"

"A prodigy," Irvin answered. "You've shown unprecedented skill in all of the training areas thus far. Furthermore, it's completely unheard of for a novice to manage to balance himself on the 3DMG harness on his first try. Even while Hanji distracted you, you didn't waver an inch."

"Are you sure you're not ticklish?" Hanji reached forward another finger to tickle his neck. Levi swatted at her once again.

"Positive. And if you don't remove your hands from my body, I'll have to remove them from _yours_."

"Fine," Hanji crossed her arms again. "Irvin, have fun with your puny prodigy. I've got work to do."

Irvin considered Hanji quite lucky, for if Levi hadn't been restrained in the harness at that moment, he was sure Hanji would've been attacked for her derogatory comment.

* * *

By the next morning, just as rapidly as the initial news of Levi's arrival had spread, quickly the entire headquarters knew of his status as a prodigy.

"He's a what?"

"A prodigy."

"Apparently he balanced in the 3DMG harness first try."

"How is that even possible?"

"It makes sense. He's got less weight to balance, if you know what I mean."

"Why the fuck is there so much gossip in this place?" Levi slammed down his tray at breakfast the next morning. "I thought I was surrounded by soldiers, not housewives."

"People find you interesting," David explained with a small shrug.

"If I were you, I'd capitalize on this development," Markus pointed a fork at Levi. "Cozy up to some curious girls, if you know what I-_ow_!"

Markus rubbed the back of his head where Lydia's fist had made contact.

"Sorry, muscle spasm. My body involuntarily tends to defend itself against useless swine."

Levi had begun eating with Matson's squad. Hanji typically dined with the other officers, and Irvin had encouraged him to connect with his fellow soldiers.

"I'm sure it will die down soon enough," Andrea attempted to comfort him. Next to her, Amelia nodded.

However, as the week went on and Irvin continued to challenge Levi's abilities, the talk only got louder and louder. For the next week, Irvin focused on how to use the 3DMG and what specific benefits it gave to the Recon Corps in battle. At the beginning of a session, he would present to him a lecture filled with detailed analyses and diagrams, then Levi would be put through a practical lesson.

Levi excelled far beyond Irvin's expectations. His sharp mind quickly absorbed and processed all the tactical information Irvin fed him, and his reflexes and intuition guided him to excellence on the 3DMG.

His training was going along flawlessly, until...

* * *

"What's wrong?" Irvin asked.

"Get it away," Levi replied, huddled in the corner of the stables.

"Oh come on, she's very nice," Irvin continued to guide the horse toward the new recruit. Levi squirmed even more as the large animal approached.

"It could be a fucking saint and I wouldn't want it near me."

Irvin halted and raised an eyebrow. "You aren't seriously scared of a horse, are you?"

"What's it matter?"

"You jumped off a cliff yesterday with only your 3DMG and you're scared of a horse?"

"I can trust my 3DMG. I can't trust a horse."

"Sure you can," Irvin reassured him. "Her name is Mable. She's very tame. Wouldn't hurt a fly."

"No."

"Fine," Irvin let loose a sigh and began to lead the horse back to her stable. "I guess I'll just go back to HQ. Might have a cup of tea. Maybe Hanji will be there, I can tell her all about this..." Irvin threw a glance over his shoulder.

Levi narrowed his eyes. Hanji would give him shit about this_ for months_. No, possibly _forever._

"Fine."

Irvin smiled.

Levi cursed.

* * *

"There, now that's not so bad, is it?" Irvin asked as he watched Levi slowly walk around the pasture on the horse.

"I don't like this."

"Well, I offered to have you ride with me at first, but you declined."

"Yeah, I already look like a child, I don't want to feel like one too."

"Don't be silly. If you were really a child, you wouldn't be scared of a harmless horse."

Next, Irvin had Levi pick up the pace a little bit to a slow trot.

By the time he was done and Irvin allowed him to dismount, the short man was in a cold sweat and visibly shaking. Irvin took Mable's reins and clapped a hand on his back.

"I guess we've finally found something to work on."

"Fucking horses. Why couldn't you use something else? Why can't you just kill Titans on pogo sticks?"

* * *

A/N: I'm so sorry for the huge delay! I really have no excuses for you at all. But don't worry, I've got a plan for this story, so all I've got to do is transfer it to paper. What really kept pushing me through writing this was the fact that so many people are still finding this story and following it. I'd have thought that it would've been buried beneath all the SnK fanfiction by now, but I am thankful. Thank you for reading; it means the world to me. I will go start on the next chapter immediately. (well, after I go bake some cookies!)


End file.
